Raj Thackeray asks Bandra court to cancel warrant issued against him

Five years after the registration of a case against violence during the Railway Recruitment Board exams at Bandra in October 2008, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday filed a discharge application before the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court.

Five years after the registration of a case against violence during the Railway Recruitment Board exams at Bandra in October 2008, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday filed a discharge application before the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court.

The court had on Monday issued a bailable warrant against Thackeray as he failed to appear before the court even after the assurance of his advocate. To cancel the warrant against him, Thackeray appeared before the court on Wednesday morning.

The court, while cancelling the order, told the lawyers to ask the accused to remain present, and said it would proceed with framing of the charges in the case against Thackeray and other accused party workers on the next date. Advocate Saiyaji Nagre filed a discharge application for Thackeray, pleading with the court to drop the criminal proceedings against him. It stated that Thackeray was not present at the scene and had no role to play in the incident. The court has asked the prosecution to file a say on the application. The next hearing is on July 1.

As per the prosecution’s case, Thackeray was booked in connection with the attack on the students appearing for the Railway Recruitment Board examination on October 16, 2008. The prosecution alleged that it was at his instigation that MNS workers attacked the students. And in November 2009, the police filed a charge sheet in the case. The case had since been pending for trial.

The accused were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 142, 144, 145 (pertaining to unlawful assembly), 153 (A) (promoting enmity), 153(B) (acts prejudicial to national integration), 336 (endangering life or safety), 342 (wrongful confinement), 352 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Thackeray was booked for provocation.